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In India, <keyword id="6368679" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="bank-holiday">bank holiday</keyword>s follow the guidelines issued by The Reserve bank of India (RBI) as all the banks in the country function under the auspices of this huge financial body. Banks do not work on the second and fourth holidays of all months. In addition, Sundays are regular weekend holidays that will see the banks closed for any public services. Some public holidays listed on the gazette of India are applicable to banks located throughout the country and some regional holidays are applicable for banks located in some specific states. Here is the list of bank holidays in India for the month of April 2021, which shows 13 holidays in this month. Planning your bank visits for financial transactions and banking functions based on the bank holiday calendar can help avoid any last minute disappointments and hassles. List of <keyword id="7484648" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bank-Holidays-in-April">bank holidays in April</keyword> 2021 <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#2e75b5;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Date </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#2e75b5;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Day </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#2e75b5;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Description of the Holiday </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#2e75b5;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Applicable for banks </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4b083;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">1 April 2021 </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Thursday </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Odisha day/ Maundy Thursday </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Odisha state </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4b083;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">2 April 2021 </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Friday </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Good Friday </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">All States </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4b083;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">4 April 2021 </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Sunday </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Weekend Holiday </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">All States </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4b083;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">6 April 2021 </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Monday </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Mahavir Jayanti </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">All States </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4b083;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">10 April 2021 </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Saturday </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Second Saturday </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">All States </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4b083;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">11 April </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Sunday </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Weekend holiday </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">All States </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4b083;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">13 April 2021 </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Tuesday </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Ugadi/ Telugu New Year/ Bohag Bihu/ Gudi Padwa/ Vaisakh </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">All States </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4b083;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">14 April 2021 </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Wednesday </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Tamil New Year/ Maha Vishuba Sankranti/ Bohag Bihu/ Cheiraoba </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">All States </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4b083;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">15 April 2021 </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Thursday </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Himachal Day </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Himachal Pradesh </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4b083;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">18 April 2021 </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Sunday </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Weekend Holiday </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">All States </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4b083;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">21 April 2021 </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Wednesday </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Ram Navami/ Garia Puja </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">All States </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4b083;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">24 April 2021 </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Saturday </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Fourth Saturday </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">All States </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4b083;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">25 April 2021 </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Sunday </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-right:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Weekend Holiday </td><td style="border-left:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;border-top:solid #dddddd 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#f4f5f7;padding:6.75pt 11.25pt 6.75pt 11.25pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">All States </td></tr></tbody></table>

A quick look at the Bank holidays in April 2021

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A bill proposing a federal holiday honoring Martin Luther King Jr. was first introduced in 1968.</li><li>It became a federal holiday in 1983 when then-President Ronald Reagan first signed a bill into law.</li></ul>Martin Luther King Jr. is the most decorated <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/african-americans-never-heard-of-should-know">civil rights icon</a> in American history. But it took more than a decade after he died for the country to celebrate him with a national holiday.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inspiring-martin-luther-king-jr-quotes-2017-1">Martin Luther King Jr. Day</a> is the second federal holiday of every calendar year (after New Year's Day). The holiday marks King's birthday, which was on January 15, 1929. Although <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/speeches-martin-luther-king-jr-2019-1">MLK Jr. Day</a> falls on King's actual birthday this year, that's not always the case.Instead, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/98th-congress/house-bill/3706/all-info">King Holiday Bill</a>, which sought to make his birthday a legal public holiday, designated the third Monday of every January as MLK Jr. Day.The bill was first introduced on April 8, 1968, four days after King was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, <a target="_blank" href="https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/15-year-battle-martin-luther-king-jr-day">according to the National Museum of African American History &amp; Culture</a>. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/martin-luther-king-jr-final-hours-photos-2023-1">King was assassinated on April 4</a> of that year at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis.The King Holiday Bill was a bipartisan measure sponsored by Democratic Rep. John Conyers of Michigan — a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/john-conyers-longest-serving-black-congressman-dies-at-90-2019-10">founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus</a> — and Republican Sen. Edward Brooke of Massachusetts.The House of Representatives first voted on the King Holiday Bill in 1979, 11 years after it was introduced. It didn't pass until four years later.The bill's passage was a hard-won fight and didn't just involve lawmakers.Music legend Stevie Wonder dedicated the song "Happy Birthday" to King in 1981, singing, "There ought to be a time that we can set aside to show just how much we love you."Two years later, President Ronald Reagan signed the measure into law — in 1983, 15 years after it was first introduced — and it took nearly two more decades for all 50 states to observe the day, according to the National Museum of African American History &amp; Culture.The first time Martin Luther King Jr. Day was officially observed was in 1986, <a target="_blank" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090120235156/http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1872501,00.html">according to Time</a>.But only 27 states and Washington, DC, observed it at the time. It took another 14 years for all the states to observe it, per Time.South Carolina became the last state, in 2000, to officially designate Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a federal holiday. It was the same year the state took down the Confederate flag from its statehouse.In some states, King shares the day. Alabama and Mississippi also designate the third Monday in January to honor the Confederate general Robert E. Lee.As part of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, public schools and universities are closed, and it's a bank holiday. The USPS is also closed, and public libraries are generally closed. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/npscelebrates/mlk-day.htm">National parks will be open</a> on the day and are offering free admission.King, former President George Washington, and Christopher Columbus are the only public figures with federal holidays recognizing them."To me, [King] is the outstanding international leader of the 20th century without ever holding office," Conyers said in 2015. "What he did — I doubt anyone else could have done."

How Martin Luther King Jr. Day became a federal holiday

Bank holiday calendar for april 2020

<ul><li>Most of the top five most trending destinations internationally have experienced a drop in flight prices or remained stable. </li><li>Consumer behaviour is evolving, with a greater emphasis on finding unique, personalised, and memorable <keyword id="6312479" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="travel-experiences" source="Orion">travel experiences</keyword>. </li><li>Air India, Air India Express, Vistara, and Indigo among the top ten international <keyword id="44023" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="airlines" source="Orion">airlines</keyword>. </li></ul>Indians have been truly bitten by the wanderlust bug since the decline of the COVID-19 pandemic. While average domestic flight fares have gone up in the last one year, average flight fares to top <keyword id="4431028" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="international-destinations" source="Orion">international destinations</keyword> have come down, making them more lucrative for Indian travellers, according to travel portal kayak.co.in. In fact, another survey points out that 60% of respondents say that they plan to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/travel/news/shopping-holidays-pipped-by-this-rising-category-of-indian-travellers/articleshow/101773489.cms">travel abroad </a>in 2023. Travel reports show that the current lower international fares have made it an excellent time for Indian travellers to plan a trip to Hong Kong, where the average return flight price is ₹39,109 which is 25% less than it was last year. Taking a plane to Jeddah, or Tokyo will cost travellers 14% less than last year on average, while flight prices to Auckland, and Colombo have remained flat. If you are dreaming of an international vacation but worried about the expenses, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/travel/news/affordable-international-getaways-from-india/articleshow/101824406.cms">here</a> is a list of destinations you can plan a trip to without breaking the bank. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Personalised travel experiences" comment="subhead" text="Personalised travel experiences">Personalised travel experiences</cmsannotation> A significant majority of Indian travellers, approximately 86%, are expressing optimism regarding their future travel plans for the upcoming 12 months. An interesting trend in travel is the growing preference for metropolitan cities such as New Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, and Chennai, as well as hill stations like Manali and Rishikesh, according to Booking.com, an online travel agency. Additionally, destinations with rich cultural heritage like Jaipur are also gaining popularity among travellers. Consumer behaviour is evolving, with a greater emphasis on finding unique, personalised, and memorable travel experiences. During the first half of 2023, not only hotels but also alternative accommodations such as resorts, guest houses, homestays, hostels, apartments, and villas emerged as the most popular choices for lodging. This indicates a shift towards diverse and varied accommodation options that cater to different preferences and provide a more distinct and customised travel experience. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Air India and Vistara rising high" comment="subhead" text="Air India and Vistara rising high">Air India and Vistara rising high</cmsannotation> Top <keyword id="18042050" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="domestic-travel-destinations" source="Orion">domestic travel destinations</keyword> for Indians during the April to June 2023 period were Goa, Kochi, Lucknow, Bhubaneshwar, and Jaiputr, according to travel portal Cleatrip. Dubai, Singapore, Bangkok, Phuket, and Abu Dhabi were the top international destinations. Dubai and Singapore also featured among the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/travel/news/top-5-foreign-destinations-on-the-radar-for-indians-and-thailand-isnt-one-of-them/amp_articleshow/101718671.cms">top international travel destinations </a>according to another recent report. Interestingly Air India, Air India Express, Vistara, and Indigo were among the top ten international airlines. Air India, and Vistara also featured among the top three airlines in premium economy and business class.

Relatively cheaper flight tickets incentivising foreign holiday plans for Indians

<ul><li>Most of the top five most <keyword id="18042219" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="trending-destinations" source="Orion">trending destinations</keyword> internationally have experienced a drop in flight prices or remained stable. </li><li>Consumer behaviour is evolving, with a greater emphasis on finding unique, personalised, and memorable travel experiences. </li><li>Air India, Air India Express, Vistara, and Indigo among the top ten international airlines. </li></ul>Indians have been truly bitten by the wanderlust bug since the decline of the COVID-19 pandemic. While average domestic flight fares have gone up in the last one year, average flight fares to top international destinations have come down, making them more lucrative for Indian <keyword id="70855" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="travellers" source="Orion">travellers</keyword>, according to travel portal kayak.co.in. In fact, another survey points out that 60% of respondents say that they plan to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/travel/news/shopping-holidays-pipped-by-this-rising-category-of-indian-travellers/articleshow/101773489.cms">travel abroad </a>in 2023. Travel reports show that the current lower <keyword id="583099" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="international-fares" source="Orion">international fares</keyword> have made it an excellent time for Indian travellers to plan a trip to Hong Kong, where the average return flight price is ₹39,109 which is 25% less than it was last year. Taking a plane to Jeddah, or Tokyo will cost travellers 14% less than last year on average, while flight prices to Auckland, and Colombo have remained flat. If you are dreaming of an <keyword id="5898037" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="international-vacation" source="Orion">international vacation</keyword> but worried about the expenses, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/travel/news/affordable-international-getaways-from-india/articleshow/101824406.cms">here</a> is a list of destinations you can plan a trip to without breaking the bank. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Personalised travel experiences" comment="subhead" text="Personalised travel experiences">Personalised travel experiences</cmsannotation> A significant majority of Indian travellers, approximately 86%, are expressing optimism regarding their future travel plans for the upcoming 12 months. An interesting trend in travel is the growing preference for metropolitan cities such as New Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, and Chennai, as well as hill stations like Manali and Rishikesh, according to Booking.com, an online travel agency. Additionally, destinations with rich cultural heritage like Jaipur are also gaining popularity among travellers. Consumer behaviour is evolving, with a greater emphasis on finding unique, personalised, and memorable travel experiences. During the first half of 2023, not only hotels but also alternative accommodations such as resorts, guest houses, homestays, hostels, apartments, and villas emerged as the most popular choices for lodging. This indicates a shift towards diverse and varied accommodation options that cater to different preferences and provide a more distinct and customised travel experience. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Air India and Vistara rising high" comment="subhead" text="Air India and Vistara rising high">Air India and Vistara rising high</cmsannotation> Top domestic travel destinations for Indians during the April to June 2023 period were Goa, Kochi, Lucknow, Bhubaneshwar, and Jaiputr, according to travel portal Cleatrip. Dubai, Singapore, Bangkok, Phuket, and Abu Dhabi were the top international destinations. Dubai and Singapore also featured among the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/travel/news/top-5-foreign-destinations-on-the-radar-for-indians-and-thailand-isnt-one-of-them/amp_articleshow/101718671.cms">top international travel destinations </a>according to another recent report. Interestingly Air India, Air India Express, Vistara, and Indigo were among the top ten international airlines. Air India, and Vistara also featured among the top three airlines in premium economy and business class.

From May 15, the <keyword id="12266" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nepal" source="Orion">Nepal</keyword> government will increase regular public holidays to two days in a week in an effort to cut the consumption of <keyword id="31786" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="fuels" source="Orion">fuels</keyword> whose prices have skyrocketed in recent months in the country, a cabinet minister said. "A cabinet meeting on April 26 decided to implement the two-day public holidays in a week effective from May 15 on a trial basis," <keyword id="12005292" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="gyanendra-bahadur-karki" source="Orion">Gyanendra Bahadur Karki</keyword>, minister for communication and information technology, told reporters. Currently, Nepal is implementing a one-day public holiday in a week on Saturday, the new rule adds Sunday as an extra off-day, reports <keyword id="106387" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="xinhua-news-agency" source="Orion">Xinhua news agency</keyword>. As per the cabinet decision, the five-day work hours will be rescheduled to 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., from the existing office hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Earlier, Nepal's <keyword id="6358156" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="central-bank" source="Orion">central bank</keyword> had advised the government to implement two-day public holidays to reduce the consumption of fuels on the grounds that public mobility is reduced substantially during holidays. Fuels are the largest import item for Nepal, accounting for over 14 per cent of the total merchandise imports in the first eight months of the current fiscal year that began in mid-July 2021, according to the <keyword id="1953841" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="trade-and-export-promotion-centre" source="Orion">Trade and Export Promotion Centre</keyword>. As in other parts of the world, Nepal has seen the prices of fuels hike in recent months over the Russia-Ukraine conflict and other factors. Meanwhile, Nepal's gross foreign exchange reserves had decreased by 18.5 percent to $9.58 billion in mid-March, from $11.75 billion at the beginning of the current fiscal year, according to central bank statistics. In response to falling forex reserves, the government has imposed a ban on the import of some products, and the fuel allowance for government bodies has been cut by 20 per cent until the end of the current fiscal year. In the late 1990s, Nepal had experimented with two-day weekly holidays with a view to increasing the efficiency and productivity of government employees. The decision was then rolled back a few months later. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/ola-may-be-rushing-into-electric-cars-when-scooters-continue-to-underperform/articleshow/91141264.cms"></a><a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/google-will-now-allow-users-to-remove-personal-information-from-their-search-results/articleshow/91142502.cms">Google will now allow users to remove personal information from their Search results</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/adani-enterprises-sets-up-a-wholly-owned-media-arm/articleshow/91128727.cms"></a><a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/skywatching-on-april-30-venus-and-jupiter-will-look-like-they-are-about-to-collide/articleshow/91145254.cms">Skywatching on April 30: Venus and Jupiter will look like they are about to collide</a>

Nepal to implement 2-day public holidays from May 15 to cut fuel consumption

<ul><li>India’s benchmark indices <keyword id="6484188" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sensex" source="Orion">Sensex</keyword> and <keyword id="2931774" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nifty50" source="Orion">Nifty50</keyword> closed marginally higher after a choppy session on Tuesday amid mixed global sentiments.</li><li>PSU bank, energy and metal stocks were on the rise, while IT and media stocks declined.</li><li>Adani Enterprises, Bajaj Finance, Britannia Industries, Bajaj Finserv and Bharti Airtel were amongst the top gainers on Nifty50.</li></ul>India’s benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty50 closed marginally higher after a choppy session on Tuesday amid mixed global sentiments. PSU bank, energy and metal stocks were on the rise, while IT and media stocks declined. The 30-stock Sensex was up 0.12% or 74 points to 60,130, while the 50-stock Nifty50 was up 0.15% or 25.85 points to 17,769. “Cautious optimism prevailed as sluggish to negative global markets' sentiment prompted traders to take selective bets in metals, oil &amp; gas, and financial stocks. The bigger concern is that the rate hike cycle in the US and European nations is likely to continue, which may further push key economies into a slowdown phase and hurt growth,” Shrikant Chouhan, Head of Equity Research (Retail) at Kotak Securities said. Adani Enterprises, Bajaj Finance, Britannia Industries, Bajaj Finserv and Bharti Airtel were amongst the top gainers on Nifty50. Meanwhile HDFC Life, UPL, HDFC Bank, HDFC and Tech Mahindra were amongst the top losers. Among Nifty500, Rail Vikas Nigam surged exceptionally higher by 20% on Tuesday and 37% in the last two days. The stock has been on a rise since March when a consortium of Russia's CJSC Transmashholding and Rail Vikas Nigam emerged as the lowest bidder for the ₹58,000-crore contract to manufacture and maintain 200 trainsets at ₹120 crore per unit. Top gainers and losers on Nifty500 <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;" class="redcator-table-advance"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Top gainers </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Change </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Top losers </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Change </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Rail Vikas Nigam </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">20% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Consumer Greaves Consumer Electricals </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">-11.83% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Rites </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">8.69% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">IPCA Laboratories </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">-10.33% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">BSE </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">8.02% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Meghmani Finechem </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">-5.58% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Indiabulls Real Estate </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">6.77% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Brightcom Group </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">-4.8% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Varroc Engineering </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">5.23% </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">TCI Express </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5pt;vertical-align:top;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">-3.98% </td></tr></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody></table>Source: NSE, as on April 25, 2023 Besides, investors are awaiting the US Fed monetary policy outcome next week that would provide some direction to the market. “The domestic market succeeded in holding the gains, though multiple attempts were made by bears to reverse the trend considering the weak global market. Investors are highly nervous as they await the release of US GDP and PCE inflation data, which will guide the upcoming Fed action. The Fed is expected to raise their rates by another 25bps in its announcement on 3rd May,” said Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services. Earlier on Monday, both the benchmark indices rose 0.7% after initial hiccups, with Sensex above the 60,000 level once again while Nifty50 closed at 17,743 points. Gold and silver prices edged up a tad on Monday, as did crude oil prices amid a weaker dollar and improving demand sentiments ahead of holiday travel season in China. Global markets mixed Markets remained mixed globally as investors awaited key earnings to trickle in. While the Dow Jones rose 0.2%, S&amp;P 500 was higher by 0.09%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq declined 0.29%. European markets, on the other hand, fell on Monday with DAX declining 0.16% and FTSE ending 0.31% lower. Asian markets were mixed on Tuesday, with Nikkei 225 rising 0.09%. On the other hand, Hang Seng fell 1.71%, Taiwan Weighted fell 1.64%, KOSPI fell 1.37%, while Shanghai Composite declined 0.32%. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/icici-bank-vs-hdfc-bank-how-indias-top-two-private-lenders-have-performed-in-q4/articleshow/99733618.cms">ICICI Bank vs HDFC Bank: How India’s top two private lenders have performed in Q4</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/flex-operators-lease-as-much-office-space-as-tech-cos-in-jan-march-quarter/articleshow/99727571.cms">Flex operators lease as much office space as tech cos in Jan-March quarter</a>

Sensex, Nifty50 close marginally higher after a choppy session; PSU banks on a rise

<ul><li>India's benchmark stock indices are set for the best April since 2009.</li><li>However, over half of those gains came in the last week of trading, and a big chunk of it Thursday, April 30. </li><li>At least three out of the top ten weekly gainers, IndusInd Bank, HDFC, and ICICI Bank, were buoyed by hopes that loan defaults in India won't be as bad as previously expected.</li><li>Follow the latest news and highlights on businessinsider.in.</li></ul>India's top ten listed companies together added a whopping ₹3.1 lakh crore to market capitalisation last week. In a week, shortened by a holiday, India's benchmark indices gained over 7%. However, the sharpest rise in percentage terms, among the blue-chip stocks, came from companies outside of the heavyweights like Reliance Industries, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), and the HDFC twins. American drug maker Gilead’s success in a clinical trial has given the world hope of finding a cure for COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. That led to an over- 1,000 point rally in the Sensex on Thursday (April 30) morning, in sync with <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/dow-soars-530-points-as-coronavirus-treatment-optimism-overshadows-gdp-slump/articleshow/75460930.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">the optimism around the globe</a>. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="75459632" title="Indian-American-led clinical trial of remdesivir in COVID-19 treatment shows positive results" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> The Indian benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, have gone up 14% since April 3, but more than half of those gains came in the last week of trading ⁠— at a time when <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/economy/news/this-is-how-global-economies-are-expected-to-grow-in-the-first-year-after-coronavirus-pandemic/articleshow/75441608.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Moody’s slashed India’s growth forecast</a> for calendar year 2020 to 0.2%, from 2.5% it had projected in March, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/udaan-fires-half-its-contract-employees/articleshow/75357229.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">layoffs continue</a>, earnings from a top lender (<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/axis-bank-q4-earnings-show-bad-loans-ease-but-ceo-amitabh-chaudhry-maintains-caution/articleshow/75429938.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Axis Bank</a>) disappointed, and some of the world’s <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/sachin-bansal-takes-the-same-line-as-donald-trump-and-elon-musk-let-people-work-and-live-with-coronavirus/articleshow/75453465.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">most influential billionaires</a> lost their patience with the economic shutdown. Though they had no impact on the market, two of India's most-talented Bollywood stars, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/irrfan-khans-inspiring-journey-from-chandrakanta-to-macbeth-to-a-father-struggling-to-get-his-child-into-a-school/articleshow/75445225.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Irrfan Khan</a> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/rishi-kapoor-passes-away-at-67/articleshow/75464201.cms?upache=2" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Rishi Kapoor</a>, passed away making the general mood a lot worse. While the bigger picture looked bleak, there were quiet celebrations happening in different pockets of the Indian share market. At least two out of the top ten weekly gainers, IndusInd Bank and HDFC, were buoyed by hopes that loan defaults in India won't be as bad as previously expected. Here’s a look at the top 10 gainers among the blue-chip stocks this week ending April 30: <table style="width: 461pt;"> </colgroup> <tbody><tr> <td class="xl66" style="height:15.0pt;width:128pt">Stock</td> <td class="xl67" style="border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none; width: 98pt;">Gains this week</td> <td class="xl68" style="border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none; width: 235pt;">Trigger</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl69" style="height: 30pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Tata Motors </td> <td class="xl65" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">23.93%</td> <td class="xl70" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none; width: 235pt;">Jaguar Land Rover has <a href="https://www.livemint.com/auto-news/jaguar-land-rover-recovers-up-to-75-production-in-china-as-demand-returns-11588159987336.html" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">restored three-fourths of its budgeted production</a> in China </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl69" style="height: 45pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">ONGC</td> <td class="xl65" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">20.34%</td> <td class="xl70" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none; width: 235pt;">Raised ₹1,000 crore via commercial papers at a cheap rate of 4.13% per annum. This showed debt market’s strong interest in India’s largest explorer despite an oil crash that has hammered its cash flows, <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/stocks/news/ongc-issues-cps-worth-rs-1000-crore-at-4-13-interest-rate/articleshow/75416400.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">the Economic Times reported</a>. </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl69" style="height: 45pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">UPL</td> <td class="xl65" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">19.76%</td> <td class="xl70" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none; width: 235pt;">The agrochemical maker said that the business is less affected by COVID crisis because farming continues with push from governments to ensure adequate food supply during lockdown. The company also repaid 30% of its debt in the last 3 months.</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl69" style="height: 45pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;"><a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/hindalco-industries-ltd/stocks/companyid-13637.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Hindalco</a> </td> <td class="xl65" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">17.21%</td> <td class="xl70" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none; width: 235pt;">The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/hindalco-novelis-completes-acquisition-of-aleris/articleshow/75151080.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Aleris acquisition turned out</a> to be better than expected. Hindalco decided to pay an additoinal $50 million due to the better than expected performance revealed in the latest results. </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl69" style="height: 45pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;"><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/article/hero-moto-share-price-is-at-a-six-year-but-exports-karizma-and-xtreme-sports-can-help/articleshow/74190134.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Hero Motocorp</a></td> <td class="xl65" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">17.05%</td> <td class="xl70" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none; width: 235pt;">The stock has been on an uptrend since mid April due to a host of reasons including hopes that COVID fears may push people to avoid public transport in the near future but not everyone may be able to afford a car </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl69" style="height: 30pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">GAIL India </td> <td class="xl65" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">15.74% </td> <td class="xl70" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none; width: 235pt;">At the start of the week, the stock was down 50% in the last one year and nearly 20 'Buy' recommendations. </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl69" style="height: 60pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">Vedanta</td> <td class="xl65" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">15.21%</td> <td class="xl70" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none; width: 235pt;">The rally in Vedanta was part of a larger change in sentiment in favour of metal stocks hoping for a reduction in competition from China.</td></tr><tr><td class="xl69" style="height: 60pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">HDFC </td> <td class="xl65" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">14.96% </td> <td class="xl70" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none; width: 235pt;">The IndusInd Bank experience eases fear of defaults by borrowers of India's largest mortgage lender. </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl69" style="height: 45pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">HCL Tech</td> <td class="xl65" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">14.58%</td> <td class="xl70" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none; width: 235pt;">Nomura gave a 'Buy' call on the stock on April 20 with a target price 25% higher. The stock has rallied since and is just ₹25 short of the target. </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="xl71" style="height: 60.75pt; border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none;">IndusInd Bank</td> <td class="xl72" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none;">13.82%</td> <td class="xl73" style="border-top-width: initial; border-top-style: none; border-left-width: initial; border-left-style: none; width: 235pt;">Earnings surprise as borrowers continue to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/indusind-bank-shares-skyrocket-by-10-as-its-customers-choose-not-to-defer-paying-off-loans/articleshow/75425195.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">repay loan instalments</a> </td> </tr></tbody></table>There will be no trading on May 1 on account of Maharashtra Day celebrations. The money did not come from the foreign investors. They continued to be net sellers in the cash market for the fourth straight month. It was domestic institutional investors like mutual funds that bought the most in this rally. “Markets this week rallied from the lows seen in March 2020. After almost a month of lockdown the world over, early signs of easing of the same along with some signs of the flattening of the COVID -19 curve spurred hope of economic activity resuming albeit at a slow pace. Some promise of a possible cure with positive preliminary results of a few drugs also added to hope and optimism," Shibani Sircar Kurian, Executive Vice President, Fund Manager &amp; Head- Equity Research,Kotak Mahindra Asset Management Company said. <div type="image" title="fii dii data" msid="75466705" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Foreign investors in Indian share market remain net sellers for the fourth straight month. &amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> So, what does the road ahead look like? “The Fear Of Missing Out will drive many investors – including myself – off the sidelines," said Nigel Green, founder and chief executive of deVere Group, a global financial advisory firm. “Investor exuberance is contagious. As the markets move steadily higher - unfazed by the recent poor economic data from the peak of the pandemic – it can be expected that the uptick will further sharpen due to that powerful investor sentiment: FOMO," he added. If FOMO drives some of the global investors back to India, the rally may spillover into May. However, investors must also remember that the month of May is usually one where stocks underperform, leading to the widely-known adage "<a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/sell-in-may-and-go-away.asp" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">sell in may and go away</a>." Will May 2020 break the trend? SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/indusind-bank-shares-skyrocket-by-10-as-its-customers-choose-not-to-defer-paying-off-loans/articleshow/75425195.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">IRCTC share price has jumped 30% in April so far despite the lockdown that’s halted trains, ticketing, and even Rail Neer sales</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/tech-mahindra-shares-are-rising-ahead-of-earnings-because-every-two-out-of-five-rupees-in-revenue-come-from-telecom/articleshow/75445808.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Tech Mahindra shares are rising ahead of earnings because every two out of five rupees in revenue come from telecom⁠</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/economy/article/a-corporate-lawyer-explains-why-indias-power-companies-cant-get-lower-tax-rate/articleshow/75442365.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Lawyers explain why India's power producers can't avail the lower tax rate</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/hero-moto-to-tech-mahindra-to-wipro-indias-top-ten-cheapest-stocks-investors-can-buy-now/articleshow/75007066.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">From Hero Moto to Tech Mahindra to Wipro ⁠— ten of India’s cheapest stocks that you could buy for bargain now</a>

India's blue-chip indices see a dizzying rally this week⁠— these are the top ten gainers and what pumped them up

The written examinations of <keyword id="127156" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="HSC">HSC</keyword> (Class 12) and <keyword id="6355577" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="SSC">SSC</keyword> (Class 10) conducted by the <keyword id="13126" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Maharashtra">Maharashtra</keyword> education board will be held between April 23 and May 21 this year, an official said on Saturday. While the <keyword id="115374" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Higher-Secondary-Certificate">Higher Secondary Certificate</keyword> (HSC) <keyword id="50799" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Exam">exam</keyword> will be conducted between April 23 and May 21, the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exam will be held between April 29 and May 20, Ashok Bhosale, secretary of the <keyword id="480748" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Maharashtra-State-Board-of-Secondary">Maharashtra State Board of Secondary</keyword> and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) said. These board exams are usually held in February and March, but this year their schedule has been changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "We had announced the proposed dates of the examinations on February 16 and invited suggestions from the stakeholders. After due consultation with them, we have fixed this final schedule of the exams," Bhosale said. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/bharat-bandh-over-eight-crore-traders-across-india-shut-shop-in-protest-against-rising-fuel-prices-and-changes-in-gst-rules/articleshow/81223361.cms">Bharat Bandh – over eight crore traders across India shut shop in protest against rising fuel prices and changes in GST rules</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/ignore-low-cibil-score-for-street-vendor-loans-work-on-holidays-and-other-diktats-from-indian-government-to-banks-rushing-to-meet-march-target/articleshow/81223572.cms">EXCLUSIVE: Ignore low CIBIL score for street vendor loans, work on holidays, and other diktats from Indian government to banks rushing to meet March target</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/india-now-allows-you-to-avail-a-discount-on-flight-ticket-if-you-are-not-carrying-a-check-in-baggage/articleshow/81225977.cms">India now allows you to avail a discount on flight ticket if you are not carrying a check-in baggage</a>

Maharashtra to conduct class X, XII exams from April 23 and April 29

list of holidays 2020 for J&K after the center scraps two public holidays

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Business owners in <keyword id="15748" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Beach">beach</keyword> towns are struggling to hire staff to keep up with summer tourists.</li><li>Fourth of July weekend holiday <keyword id="6354692" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Travel">travel</keyword> <a href="https://abc7ny.com/travel/travel-crush-july-4th-holiday-could-break-pre-pandemic-records/10852229/#:~:text=Travel%20crush%3A%20July%204th%20holiday%20could%20break%20pre%2Dpandemic%20records&amp;text=AAA%20estimates%20of%20the%2047.7,people%20will%20hit%20the%20roads.ads.">could break pre-pandemic records.</a></li><li>The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the <keyword id="136927" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="affordable-housing">affordable housing</keyword> crisis in popular tourist destinations.</li></ul>Lauren Belvin and her husband run Belvin Built, a design and construction firm based in Point Harbor, NC, a small coastal town across the bridge from the <keyword id="6867634" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Outer-Banks">Outer Banks</keyword>. The company does everything from flood restoration after hurricanes to designing brand-new homes. Belvin pays her workers anywhere from $500 to $1,000 a day, depending on the project. But this summer, the only consistent employees they could find were two teenagers they discovered power washing their neighbor's house. The company's challenge is one facing many small businesses in beach towns. From the Outer Banks to the <keyword id="1737276" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Hamptons">Hamptons</keyword>, a combination of factors has left 'Help Wanted' signs on storefront doors up and down the coast. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/unemployed-workers-arent-returning-to-the-labor-force-jobless-benefits-2021-4">Insider's Ayelet Sheffey reported</a> that the national labor shortage could be due to a mix of four factors: unemployment benefits, COVID-19 health concerns, caring responsibilities, and low wages. Many seasonal international workers that summer towns depend on were unable to travel to the US due to <a href="https://thepienews.com/news/j-1-visas/">J-1 visa restrictions.</a> <keyword id="20984" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Vacation">Vacation</keyword> destinations then face a sixth challenge: the affordable-housing crisis. All these factors are colliding during the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-air-travel-tops-pre-pandemic-passengers-july-fourth-weekend-2021-7">busiest travel weekend of the year</a>, as tourists flock to the beach to celebrate Independence Day. "Before the pandemic it was bad," said Tom Ruhle, director of the East Hampton Office of Housing and Community Development. "Now it's dismal." Ruhle told Insider that while the Hamptons housing market has been booming, the little affordable housing that was available before the pandemic is almost entirely gone. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/26/nyregion/the-hamptons-seasonal-workers.html">The New York Times reported</a> that data collected by Douglas Elliman, a real-estate company, showed that the number of available houses in the Hamptons fell at the fastest rate in over a decade while sales and prices skyrocketed. "It's pushing everyone to live further and further away," Belvin told Insider. "And then rising gas prices coupled with unemployment makes finding skilled labor right now almost impossible." Some year-round residents in the Outer Banks have been forced to move out of the rentals as landlords capitalize on the real-estate market. "I had a friend who lived in Kill Devil Hills for 20 years. Her landlord gave her 30 days to move out in April because he was putting the house on the market," Belvin told Insider. "Now she's living in our warehouse apartment." Many beach-town restaurants <a href="https://time.com/6076710/restaurants-labor-shortage/">don't have the staff to remain open at normal hours</a>, and often have to remain closed one to two days a week. With a tourist season only lasting three months out of the year, closing puts a dent in the revenue seasonal businesses depend on to survive through the winter. Sandbars Raw Bar and Grill, a restaurant in Kill Devil Hills, NC, closed on Friday. Owners Mark and Michelle Shafer posted an emotional video on the company's Facebook page, citing the labor shortage as the main reason behind the closing."There's not a lot of people looking for jobs out there and it's become extremely hard," Mark Shafer said in the video. Citarella, a popular gourmet market, is <a href="https://www.simplyhired.com/job/9TeZH1J9wGtf7eBWM321BQnpIT9tmmq8PWL8vJHI9QORz6cZq9wa3Q">offering a $2,500 hiring bonus</a> at its Bridgehampton location with continued employment. <div type="image" title="Blue Moon Beach Grill, a restaurant in Nags Head, NC." height="1126" width="1502" msid="84093435" hostid="261"></div>Lynn Jones-Hoates, the owner of Healthy Environments Child Development Center in Kill Devil Hills, told Insider she has a waitlist of families wanting to enroll their kids in childcare so they could go to work- but she doesn't have enough staff to fully reopen. "The question becomes what it's going to look like year-round out here," Ruhle said. "Depending on the work-from-home scenario, if we get more of a year-round <keyword id="34412" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="economy">economy</keyword>, we're going to have more of a demand for year-round workers, and that's going to exacerbate certain problems we have. Nobody knows what's going to happen."

Beach towns along the East Coast are struggling to hire enough employees heading into the July Fourth weekend

<ul class="summary-list"><li>March 2021 saw Americans book Christmas and Thanksgiving <keyword id="6354692" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Travel">travel</keyword> in greater numbers than March 2019.</li><li><keyword id="99699" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Adobe">Adobe</keyword> found that cheap airfare in March prompted Americans to book earlier than normal.</li><li>A Cirium study found that Fourth of July and Labor Day travel didn't fare as well. </li></ul>The winter holidays never fail to get Americans in the sky, even during a pandemic. <keyword id="6354691" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Air-travel">Air travel</keyword> numbers have been steadily increasing in the US, according to <a href="https://www.tsa.gov/coronavirus/passenger-throughput">Transportation Security Administration</a> data, as more Americans get vaccinated, and some are already planning end-of-year holiday trips around Christmas and Thanksgiving. Adobe is reporting that Americans booked more holiday travel in March 2020 than they did in pre-pandemic March 2019. "Christmas flight bookings are up 17% and Thanksgiving flight bookings are up 9% compared to March 2019 levels," Adobe's <a href="https://blog.adobe.com/en/publish/2021/04/27/adobe-digital-economy-index-flight-bookings-pick-up-ecommerce-surges-in-us-and-globally.html">Digital Economy Index</a> report found. Adobe attributes the trend to cheaper than normal airfares in March and noted that booking jumped 57 percent from February, and 79 percent from January. March saw the vaccine rollout accelerated to include more Americans and is when the third round of stimulus checks arrived in many Americans' bank accounts. The faith in vaccines to end the pandemic already appears to be paying off as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced in April that vaccinated individuals could safely fly domestically, as <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cdc-fully-vaccinated-travelers-can-now-travel-in-the-us-2021-4">Insider's Brittany Chang reported</a>, followed by the loosening of mask guidelines in May. Americans have shown a willingness to gamble with pandemic travel restrictions if the price is right and the trip is far enough in advance. A sale on flights to Tokyo, Japan - a destination currently closed to American tourists- enticed travelers to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cheap-2022-airline-fares-leading-customers-to-gamble-with-restrictions-2021-4">take a gamble that the trendy destination would open to tourists in less than a year's time</a>. The combination of cheap airfares and a normally cost-prohibitive travel season was likely enticement enough for many. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/record-breaking-americans-flew-sunday-thanksgiving-travel-2020-11">Last year also saw spikes in passenger numbers around both holidays</a> when airfares were lower than normal, despite the likelihood of a second wave and against the advice of public health officials. Airfares are rising, however, and the window to save on winter holiday travel may be over. New data from Hopper shows that domestic airfares are up 12 percent from April and will continue to rise by four percent by the end of May. Hotel prices are also surging, Hopper found, and rates are up 11 percent since March. Rental cars, however, have seen <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rental-car-flights-summer-travel-chip-shortage-hertz-enterprise-turo-2021-4">the largest increase in demand, totaling 495% since January</a>. <h2>Summer holidays may see a weaker turnout </h2>Cirium, an <keyword id="31907" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Aviation">aviation</keyword> data company, asked 2,140 Americans over the age of 18 about their travel plans for the summer and found Labor Day and the Fourth of July might not see as many travelers as the winter holidays, in a report shared with Insider. Less than 20 percent of respondents said they would fly for the two summer holidays. Only 16 percent of respondents said they'd fly for the Fourth of July and 17 percent said they'd fly for the Fourth of July. The study was conducted between April 29 and May 6, when airfares were higher than they were from January to March and could have hindered travel plans. Only 40% of those who said they plan to fly in the future said they will do this summer. Their reasoning for travel, Cirium found, was largely to visit friends and relatives.Read More: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/airline-workers-covid-rates-is-flying-safe-2020-9">Airline workers have lower rates of COVID-19 than the general population - and airline CEOs say it's proof that flying is safe</a>The business travel outlook for the summer still looks grim due to "no travel" policies by employers, according to Cirium. But 33% of respondents expect to be traveling again within six months. One bright spot for <keyword id="44023" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="airlines">airlines</keyword>, however, is that 90 percent of Cirium's respondents said they intend to fly again "at some point in the future."

Americans are already booking Christmas and Thanksgiving travel while summer holidays may suffer as fares surge

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The start of May has seen a string of violent clashes, arrests, and killings in <keyword id="6355227" type="LOCATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="jerusalem">Jerusalem</keyword> and the <keyword id="82362" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="West-Bank">West Bank</keyword>.</li><li>The situation is set to get worse. Significant dates in the coming week signal further violence.</li><li>An upcoming court verdict about Palestinian property evictions is already causing chaos.</li></ul>After a week of violent and sometimes deadly clashes between Jewish settlers, the Israeli military, and <keyword id="6385649" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="palestinians">Palestinians</keyword> in the occupied West Bank, tensions and enmity are boiling over.But the situation is only set to worsen, with several historically significant but politically sensitive dates forecast to add fuel to fuel the fire.The advent of Jerusalem Day, Nakba Day, and the end of Ramadan - all taking place in the coming days - has prompted the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to bolster troop deployments in anticipation of further violence, <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-bolsters-troops-amid-fears-of-escalation-with-jerusalem-gaza-tensions/">The Times of Israel</a> said.And an upcoming Supreme Court hearing on Monday regarding the eviction of Palestinian families in East Jerusalem's Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood threatens to exacerbate the tensions and add to the worst turmoil the region has seen in years.<h2>Tensions have been rising during Ramadan</h2>The Islamic month of Ramadan has been fraught with conflict in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank. Violent clashes in the city have become a nightly occurrence during the holy period, the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-strip-middle-east-religion-jerusalem-e37ec6fe6f28f254cd617e9b4a206d3e">Associated Press</a> reported in April.The placement of barricades outside the Damascus Gate entrance to Jerusalem's Old City - a popular nightly gathering point with local Palestinians after the end of the Ramadan fast - resulted in a confrontation with Israeli police and more than 100 Palestinian injuries on April 22, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-retaliates-against-gaza-rocket-fire-after-jerusalem-riots-2021-4">Insider reported</a>.<div type="image" title="Israeli security forces outside the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem's Old City" height="4868" width="6490" msid="82495931" hostid="261"></div>On the same night, Israeli police blocked supporters of a far-right Jewish group, Lehava, as they marched through the Jerusalem streets towards the Damascus Gate. Some of the followers of the group chanted "death to Arabs," <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/23/middleeast/jerusalem-clashes-injured-intl/index.html">CNN</a> said.In other incidents, <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-two-palestinian-teens-arrested-in-jerusalem-assault-of-haredi-man-shared-on-tiktok-1.9729592">Palestinians filmed TikTok videos</a>. They attacked ultra-Orthodox Jews, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/23/world/middleeast/israelis-palestinians-clash-jerusalem-old-city.html">Jewish youths attempted to set fire to a Palestinian family's home</a>, and a video emerged of an Israeli motorist being beaten by a Palestinian mob before his car was set ablaze.After the riots, Palestinian militants in Gaza shot rockets into <keyword id="6355882" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="israel">Israel</keyword>. Israel retaliated by launching strikes on Hamas targets there, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-retaliates-against-gaza-rocket-fire-after-jerusalem-riots-2021-4">Insider</a> reported.The chaos in the Palestinian territories coincides with increased violent attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinian civilians.Settler violence in the occupied West Bank has risen markedly in recent months, according to a report by the <a href="https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26991&amp;LangID=EID=E">United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs</a> (OCHA). In the first three months of 2021, the OCHA recorded more than 210 incidents of settler violence in the territory. One of the authors of the report, Michael Lynk, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967, spoke to Insider about the motivations behind the attacks."There's a very entrenched belief that's probably shared by most settlers that this land is theirs that it has been historically and biblically granted to them," Lynk told Insider. "Therefore, what they are carrying out is righteous violence in the name of both religion and nationalism."<h2>A week of violence - the timeline</h2>The start of May has seen a string of violent clashes, arrests, and killings. Below is a comprehensive - but not exhaustive - list of recent events.<ul><li>On May 2, an Israeli soldier shot a 60-year-old Palestinian woman who tried to carry out a knife attack, the Israeli military said. She later died of her wounds, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/palestinian-woman-killed-two-israelis-wounded-west-bank-violence-2021-05-02/">Reuters</a> reported. Footage of the incident shows the woman slowly approaching soldiers with a sharp weapon before being fired at.</li></ul><ul><li>Also on May 2, a Palestinian man carried out a drive-by shooting in the West Bank that killed a 19-year-old Israeli and left two other Jewish teenagers injured, <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210502-three-israelis-wounded-in-west-bank-drive-by-shooting">France24</a> said.</li></ul><ul><li>After the drive-by shooting, the Israeli Defense Forces searched the occupied West Bank village of Beita for the suspect and Palestinians throwing Molotov cocktails at Israeli soldiers who responded with live fire, The Jerusalem Post reported. Several Palestinians were injured and at least 19 were arrested, the Israeli newspaper said.</li><li>Overnight, extremist Jewish settlers vandalized property and hurled stones in the West Bank village of Jalud, according to human rights groups. </li><li>On May 3, settlers attacked two Palestinians and vandalized properties in three separate incidents in the West Bank, according to The Jerusalem Post.</li><li>On May 5, a 16-year-old Palestinian boy was shot and killed by an Israeli soldier. The killing followed Palestinians in Beita, hurling Molotov cocktails towards IDF soldiers, <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/israeli-investigation-after-16-year-old-palestinian-boy-shot-dead-by-soldiers-12298708">Sky News</a> said. "The troops responded according to open-fire protocols, including firing towards the suspects. The incident is being investigated," an IDF spokesperson told the media outlet. A second Palestinian was shot in the back and is being treated in hospital, according to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-troops-shoot-dead-palestinian-teen-during-west-bank-clashes-2021-05-05/">Reuters</a>.</li><li>Three Palestinian gunmen shot at Israeli border police based in the occupied West Bank early on Friday, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/palestinian-gunmen-killed-after-firing-israeli-base-west-bank-2021-05-07/">Reuters</a> reported. Israeli fire killed two of the Palestinians and critically wounded the third, the <keyword id="6355005" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="news">news</keyword> agency said.</li><li>Israeli-Palestinian clashes have broken out nightly ahead of a Monday court hearing that could see Palestinian families evicted from Sheikh Jarrah - an East Jerusalem neighborhood.</li><li>More than 200 Palestinian worshippers were injured after clashing with Israeli police outside the al-Aqsa mosque, a significant holy site that is sacred to Muslims and Jews, on Friday night, <a href="https://www.insider.com/palestinians-israeli-police-clash-in-jerusalem-injuring-200-report-2021-5">Insider reported</a>.</li><li>At least 90 people were injured as Palestinians and Israelis clashed in Jerusalem again on Saturday night, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/07/middleeast/al-aqsa-mosque-palestinian-injuries-jerusalem-police-clash-intl/index.html">CNN</a> said.</li></ul><h2>Several significant dates threatening a new wave of violence</h2>The IDF has already beefed up its forces in anticipation of a week fraught with conflict, The Jerusalem Post said. An additional battalion and special forces are to be deployed to the occupied West Bank, the paper reported. "We have dates that offer some sort of warning that there might be a rise in violence," Oded Revivi, the mayor of the Efrat settlement in the occupied West Bank, a community of Jewish settlers that is considered to be illegal under <keyword id="6356001" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="international">international</keyword> law, told Insider. One of these dates is Jerusalem Day, which starts on Sunday evening and lasts through Monday. It is an Israeli national holiday commemorating the capture and consequent establishment of Israeli control over the Old City in the aftermath of the 1967 Six-Day War.The holiday observed by thousands of religious Zionists is controversial to secular Jews and many Arabs.<div type="image" title="Israelis gather outside Damascus Gate on Jerusalem Day in 2019." height="4281" width="5708" msid="82495935" hostid="261"></div>As part of the Jerusalem Day celebrations, an annual "Dance of Flags" parade sees participants walk through the Old City while waving Israeli flags.This year, taking into account the rising tensions, Jerusalem's police chief has asked for the parade to be re-routed to avoid passing through the Muslim quarter of the city. "The passage of the parade in these two sensitive areas in the last week of Ramadan fasting, when all warnings relate to a possible flare-up due to events related to Jerusalem would be irresponsible and could claim human lives," Israel Police's Jerusalem District Chief Doron Turgeman told The Jerusalem Post.It could incite a "violent outbreak" in other parts of the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip, Turgeman added.Jerusalem Day also happens to fall on the same date as a highly-anticipated verdict by Israel's Supreme Court on a toxic property dispute between Jews and Arabs.The Supreme Court will decide on upholding a ruling that would see several Palestinian families in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, known in Hebrew as Shimon Hatzadik, evicted from their homes in favor of right-wing Jewish settlers that assert a historic claim to the land.The upcoming ruling has been a flashpoint for nightly protests and violence.On Thursday, Palestinians and Israeli settlers hurled rocks at each other in Sheikh Jarrah before Israeli police separated them, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/jerusalem-middle-east-israel-lifestyle-religion-f4c2594aab82ca8117c39b577a42ff01">AP</a> said.But Amit Gilutz, a spokesperson for the Jerusalem-based human rights organization B'Tselem, told Insider that the situation in Sheikh Jarrah is just one example of the mistreatment of Palestinians."Settler violence rampaging all over the West Bank, a racist parade marching through Jerusalem's Old City, and the Supreme Court granting permission to expel more Palestinian families from their homes and hand the property to settlers; all these take place with the backing and encouragement of the state," Gilutz said.Tensions relating to the upcoming Sheikh Jarrah verdict have also prompted threats from the leader of a <a href="https://2009-2017.state.gov/documents/organization/45313.pdf">Palestinian terrorist group - the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.</a> "This is our final warning," Mohamed Deif, the head of Hamas' military wing, said on Wednesday. "We will not stand idly by, and the occupation will pay a heavy price."Ohad Zemet, a spokesperson for the Embassy of Israel in London, has accused Hamas and the Palestinian Authority of politicizing the upcoming legal decision for personal gain. "The Israeli judicial system is independent and will reach a just legal conclusion based on the law and the facts. It is unfortunate that the Palestinian Authority and the Hamas terrorist organization try to use this case for their own political purposes and in a bid to incite violence," said Zemet.<h2>Muslim holy shrine becomes a battlefield</h2>On Friday night around 200 Palestinian worshippers were injured after clashing with Israeli police at the al-Aqsa mosque, <a href="https://www.insider.com/palestinians-israeli-police-clash-in-jerusalem-injuring-200-report-2021-5">Insider's Kelsey Vlamis and Sarah Al-Arshani reported</a>. Several Israeli police officers were also hurt in the clashes, according to the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-57034237">BBC</a>. Thousands of Muslims had gathered at the holy site to observe the last Friday of Ramadan. Israeli police say the clashes begun after worshippers threw rocks, according to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/07/middleeast/al-aqsa-mosque-palestinian-injuries-jerusalem-police-clash-intl/index.html">CNN</a>. Videos of the event show people running as Israeli forces shot rubber bullets and stun grenades.Over 90,000 Muslim worshippers prayed at the Al-Aqsa Mosque to mark the holy night of Laylat al-Qadr on Saturday, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-boosts-security-forces-ahead-tense-night-jerusalem-2021-05-08/">Reuters</a> said. <div type="image" title="Palestinians pray on Laylat al-Qadr outside the Dome of the Rock" height="3872" width="5162" msid="82495936" hostid="261"></div>Nearby, outside the Old City's Damascus Gate, Palestinian protesters pelted Israeli police officers with rocks and water bottles and set barricades alight, the Associated Press reported. Officers responded by firing stun grenades and periodically firing a water cannon, the news agency said. Around 64 Palestinians were wounded, according to the AP.Palestinian President Mahmoud Abba accused Israel of "sinful attacks."<h2>These dates may play a part in further violence</h2>In addition to the Sheikh Jarrah verdict and Jerusalem day, two other dates could provide the backdrop to more violence.Nakba Day, which takes place next Saturday, is an annual Palestinian commemoration of the Nakba, or the so-called "Palestinian catastrophe." It mourns the creation of the State of Israel in 1948, and, in the past, the day has been marked by bloodshed.In 2011, protesters attempted to breach Israel's borders from the occupied Palestinian Territories, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, and Jordan. At least 12 Palestinians were killed and hundreds wounded due to shootings by the Israeli Army, AFP reported.Eid al-Fitr is the feast marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on Wednesday. Israel's Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtaiheld has order commanders in the Jerusalem area to "significantly" boost their forces ahead of the Ramadan celebrations, <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-bolsters-troops-amid-fears-of-escalation-with-jerusalem-gaza-tensions/">The Times of Israel</a> said.<h2>The international community is appealing for de-escalation</h2>The international community has appealed for an end to the violence.A US State Department spokeswoman told reporters that Washington was "deeply concerned about the heightened tension."The EU followed suit, with a spokesperson calling on authorities to "act urgently to de-escalate the current tensions" in Jerusalem. "Violence and incitement are unacceptable and the perpetrators on all sides must be held accountable," the EU spokesperson said in a statement.The UN's rights office has urged Israel to call off the evictions in Sheikh Jarrah, <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/8/world-reacts-to-east-jerusalem-eviction-rallies-israeli-assaults">Al Jazeera</a> reported.But according to Lynk, the UN'S Special Rapporteur, these types of statements aren't enough. "I've called for the international community to speak louder and more forcefully," he said.

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